Melinda Chow
Co-executive Director @Austin Youth River Watch
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WORK HISTORY
Co-executive Director @Austin Youth River Watch
Austin Youth River Watch (AYRW) transforms and inspires youth through environmental education, community engagement, and adventure. AYRW accomplishes this through experiential after school and summer programs, and mainly with service-learning activities in outdoor settings. We work with teens and young adults from throughout Central Texas, primarily BIPOC youth in East Austin, and other youth that have been impacted by systemic inequities. AYRW students monitor water quality and perform hands-on environmental restoration projects with local community partners that improve the ecological conditions of Central Texas watersheds. Students build a strong sense of community and belonging in our programs, learn about environmental careers, and experience outdoor adventures through activities like overnight campouts and kayaking trips. For most of the students in our program, AYRW has been providing them with transformative first-time ever outdoor experiences that help instill a love of nature and a sense of environmental stewardship- Co-leading and facilitating staff, board, students, and community members in the creation, implementation, and assessment of community goals- Continuing to build and sustain productive collaborative relationships with partner organizations, supporters, and local community leaders- Leading the creation and implementation of development, fundraising, outreach, DEIJB, and communications strategies, including grants and events, through a community-centric lens.
EDUCATION
Mississippi State University
B.A., Anthropology
Mississippi State University
B.S., Biology
University of Memphis
M.A., Applied Anthropology
SKILLS
ABOUT MELINDA CHOW
I have a broad range of experience with community-based programs, and 25+ years of experience working with community-based groups. My experience and interests have been in the areas of- Equity, diversity, social justice, inclusion, and belonging- Community engagement, outreach, and collaboration- Informal education and youth development- STEAM and environmental programming- Art and creative expressionI take great joy in learning about new and existing community efforts, finding ways to help them thrive, and ultimately in working together with people to produce positive impacts in our world. I have a strong belief in collaboration; i.e, in going together to go far. I am highly adept at managing multi-layered, cross-functional teams. I am proud of having led the creation of an open and supportive organizational culture at Austin Youth River Watch, a culture that amplifies effectiveness with person-centered approaches, mentoring, and collaborative decision-making.My broad range of experience enables me to understand many different kinds of community-based groups from multiple levels, and thus strengthens my abilities to build relationships with a broad range of practitioners to achieve shared goals and outcomes.
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